In order to be able to connect to the wireless network you will need to have the following items and settings:
- 802.11a/b/g compliant wireless card
- 802.11n Is being propagated and is currently supported in Beauregard Hall
- Network type: Infrastructure
- SSID: NSUnwired
- Resident Halls SSID: NSUResNet (Scholars, Millet, Zeringue, Ellender, La Maison)
- Encryption: off
- TCP/IP settings: DHCP
- Student, Faculty, or Staff User-ID
802.11a/b/g compliant wireless card
You will need an 802.11a/b/g compliant card. When purchasing a wireless card, make sure the card is 802.11a/b/g compliant or Wi-Fi certified. Some wireless cards are 802.11b only, 802.11a only, 802.11g only, and some cards are a combination of the standards. If at all possible, choose a card that supports all three standards. A wireless card that supports all standards will work in all wireless locations on campus. In addition, make sure that you install the latest drivers. Visit the manufacturer’s web site for information about obtaining the latest drivers.
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a nonprofit international association that certifies wireless products based on the IEEE 802.11 standard. Visit their web site at www.wi-fi.org to find out if your wireless adapter has been certified.
Network Type: Infrastructure
802.11 defines two types of network: infrastructure and ad hoc. An infrastructure type indicates that your wireless client will connect to the wired network via an access point. Ad Hoc, on the other hand, indicates a type of network where only wireless clients get to communicate among each other. You must use infrastructure in order to connect to the Nicholls wireless network.
SSID: NSUnwired
SSID: NSUResNet
SSID stands for Service Set Identifier, sometimes referred to as Network Name. This is simply a name used to identify a wireless network. An SSID can either be broadcast or hidden. When the SSID is hidden, the user must know what the SSID of the wireless network is in order to gain access. When the SSID is broadcast, the wireless network is available to anybody. The access points on the Nicholls wireless network are configured to broadcast their SSID. While on campus, if your wireless device says that it has found a “New Wireless Network NSUnwired, Would You Like to Connect?”, go ahead and connect. Some wireless adapters will allow you to leave the SSID field blank or enter the word “ANY”. This instructs the wireless clients to obtain whatever SSID is being broadcast by the access point. You can also set the SSID explicitly. If your wireless device fails to auto-detect ´NSUnwired¡ and connect to the Nicholls wireless network, you can enter NSUnwired into the SSID field.
Encryption: off
The 802.11 standard makes use of two optional security mechanisms called WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) or WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). Make sure encryption is turned off.
TCP/IP settings: DHCP
There are two ways of assigning an IP address to a network adapter: static or DHCP. Static assignment requires the use of a unique IP address that will only work on a particular subnet and must be entered manually. DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) on the other hand, refers to the automatic assignment of an IP address. No user intervention is required. The only thing the user is responsible for is to set the TCP/IP settings on the network adapter to DHCP.
User Login
Access to the Nicholls Wireless Network requires authentication through the use of a Nicholls assigned user-id. When connecting to the wireless network, the user opens their web browser and is automatically redirected to the login page. If you are a Student, Faculty or Staff, just enter your campus user-id, password, select your status (Student or Faculty/Staff) and select the login button.
The login process is required each time the user whishes to use the wireless network. Each login session on the wireless network can be connected for up to eight hours as long as the wireless device is powered on and in range of the wireless signal. Once the wireless device has been connected for eight hours, or if the wireless device has been turned off for over 5 minuets, the session is terminated and the user must login again. If you are having problems accessing the login page, try clearing the cache on your browser and restarting your computer.
To clear the cache in Internet Explorer:
Go to Tools > Internet Options
On the General tab, under Temporary Internet Files, click on “Delete Files”